Noctisardor Bypass the sleeper

Grub's little body slept, tucked snugly between @Beetle and @Slug, her cheek cushioned by the velveteen fur on @Arbiter's underside.

Meanwhile, her spirit roamed a frosty plain where a herd of strange beasts roamed. She prowled along its outskirts, a svelte yearling with fur so pale it nearly disappeared against the wintry backdrop. Her golden eyes shifted sideways to track her sister's movements. Beetle did not blend quite so well. Grub grinned at her, still confident they could take their prey by surprise.

The closer they came to their quarry, the more Grub's movements slowed. She crept silently, a ghost, resisting the urge to lick her lips as the scent of living meat filled her nostrils. Eventually, she came to a stop entirely and crouched, a flick of her ear indicating for Beetle to do the same.

While they waited for the perfect opportunity to strike, the sky suddenly grew purple and darkness draped the landscape like a cloak. Grub's eyes lifted, unbothered by the sudden nightfall, and when they dropped earthward again, the herd had vanished, replaced by a flock of blackbirds.

Abruptly, she catapulted into their midst with a wild lash of her tail. The birds took wing all around her, soundless but for the rush of a thousand wings. Flurries of feathers and snowflakes swirled. It took Grub's breath away and her eyes moved as she once more sought her sister, to see what she made of it.